The primary source of resilience, as measured by coefficient of restitution (“COR”), in commercially available golf balls is polybutadiene rubber, which is generally used to form all or part of the core. It is known that the resilience of a golf ball core, at a given compression, may be increased by forming a core layer from a rubber composition comprising an organosulfur compound. However, organosulfur compounds can be expensive and can cause processing difficulties.
Rubber compositions comprising catechols have been disclosed as useful in a variety of golf ball layers, including, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0213144 to Comeau et al., the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
While the use of catechols in rubber golf ball compositions has been disclosed, there is a need in the industry to broaden the applicability of such compositions to particular golf ball constructions having desirable spin, feel, and distance properties. The present invention provides such golf ball constructions through the use of a dual- or multi-layer core formed from a rubber composition comprising a base rubber and a catechol.